Preparing and freezing the meatballs before your trip gives you a homemade meal while camping with almost zero prep.

Heat the meatballs up in sauce on a propane stove or over the campfire and serve on toasted bread.

Ingredient Notes

• Ground Beef: Substitute beef for ground chicken or ground turkey and use the fat content you prefer.
• Onion and Garlic: We love using fresh garlic and onion in our meatballs, but I included amounts for onion and garlic powder which still adds great flavor.
• Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan adds a nutty, salty flavor
• Egg: The egg helps to bind everything together.
• Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs give the meatballs a lighter density. Plain or Italian breadcrumbs work fine.
• Worcestershire Sauce: My husband is our meatball maker, and this is his addition to the recipe. We love the flavor, but they are still good if you choose to omit it.

Step by Step Directions

1. Meatball mixture

Combine egg, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, parmesan, and Italian seasoning in a medium size bowl. Add ground beef and stir to incorporate.

2. Roll the meatballs

Roll meatballs into balls measuring between 1 and 1-1/2 inches. Larger meatballs may need to be cut in half for easier eating on a sandwich, so I prepare smaller, 1 inch meatballs. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Cook the meatballs

Place in preheated oven (at 375 degrees) and cook for 15-20 minutes (lower end of cook time for smaller meatballs), rotating halfway through if they become brown on the bottom.

4. Cool and freeze

Allow meatballs to cool completely and then place in a plastic freezer bag in a single layer. Freeze until you’re ready to pack your cooler for your trip.

4. Heat at camp

At camp, place meatballs in a pot and cover with prepared pasta sauce. Heat over medium heat on a propane stove or in a cast iron pan over the campfire until the meatballs are heated through.

5. Serve

Toast Hoagie rolls or soft French rolls (optional). Top with meatballs and sauce and Mozzarella cheese.

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Meatball Subs for Camping

Course Main Course

Keyword campfire dinner, one pot

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 737kcal

Ingredients

Meatballs – prepare at home

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp minced onion (or 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder)
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (or 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Sub Sandwich – prepare at camp

• 1 jar pasta sauce
• 5 Hoagie or French bread rolls
• 5 slices Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Make Meatballs at Home

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Mix together egg, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, parmesan, and Italian seasoning in a medium size bowl.
• Add ground beef and stir to combine.
• Roll meatballs into balls measuring between 1 and 1-1/2 inches. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Place in preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes (lower end of cook time for smaller meatballs), rotating halfway through if they become brown on the bottom.
• Remove and let cool completely. Place in a plastic freezer bag and freeze until ready to pack for your camping trip.

Prepare Meatballs at Camp

• Place meatballs and jar of pasta sauce in a pot over the propane stove or campfire. Cover and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated through.
• Spoon meatballs and sauce over the rolls and top with a slice of Mozzarella cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 5sandwiches | Calories: 737kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 2514mg | Potassium: 1082mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1072IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 449mg | Iron: 9mg

The post Camping Meatball Sub Sandwiches appeared first on Refresh Camping.

A cast iron pie iron takes an easy camping dinner of meatball subs to the next level. The garlic Texas Toast gets toasty and crispy over the campfire and is stuffed with all the fillings of a meatball sandwich.

After experimenting with different types of “bread” alternatives for the outside layer of hobo pies, I’ve found the possibilities of full meals that can be cooked in pie irons to be endless. You can see all the variations I’ve tried in the green box below.

Meatball Sub HOBO Pie Ingredients

• Bread : You can use any kind of bread in this sandwich, but thick garlic bread (like Texas Toast) makes this sandwich SO good!
• Meatballs: We pre-make and freeze small meatballs before our trip, but you can also buy pre-made meatballs.
• Sauce: Packing a jar of spaghetti sauce saves space in the cooler.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella cheese melts perfectly to create an awesome cheese pull!
• Butter: If you use pre-made garlic bread, there’s not need to add any butter. If you use other bread, you can use butter or substitute mayonnaise on the outside of the bread for a wonderful toasty crust.

This post contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Equipment To Make Pie Iron CHILI CHEESE DOG SANDWICHES

Cast Iron Pie Iron (Camp Cooker): Pie irons are made of aluminum or cast iron, but I highly recommend using cast iron as they withstand much higher temperatures for longer periods of time.

However, aluminum pie irons do not require seasoning and can be cleaned like all other dishes, so there are benefits to using them as well.

• Round cast iron camp cooker
• Square cast iron camp cooker
• Double cast iron camp cooker – allows you to make twice as many sandwiches with half the work prepping and cleaning!
• Aluminum pie iron camp cooker – although I don’t like the way they cook as much, they are easier to use because they don’t need to be seasoned and can be cleaned like all your other dishes.

Portable Over the Fire Cooking Grate: While cooking in hot coals or embers is ideal for cast iron pie irons, you can also cook over a fire by using a fire grill grate. It’s perfect for a wide variety of campfire pits and can easily be adapted to work at your site.

It’s also great if you just started your fire and want to get cooking right away! Simply place your pie irons on the grate and turn halfway through cooking.

Steps to Make Campfire Meatball Sandwiches

1. Prep the pies

Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Skip this step if you’re using pre-made garlic bread. Place one piece of bread with the butter side down into one half of the pie iron.

2. Assemble the pies

Scoop some sauce on the bread and spread it out evenly. Add meatballs (cut large meatballs in half) and then add a slice of cheese on top. Top with another piece of bread, butter side up, and close the pie iron.

3. Cook over campfire

There are two options when cooking with a pie iron: in the coals or over the flame. I find that cooking in the coals is faster, but sometimes can result in over cooking/burning more easily. Cooking on a grate over the fire is usually a few minutes slower, but you have a bit more control over the temperature.

• Hot coals: Place pie iron directly in the hot coals and embers from your fire. If your fire has been going for awhile, simply pull a pile of coals a bit to the side and place the camp cooker on those hot coals.
• Over the flame: Use a grill grate to create a flat cooking surface over the fire. Place the camp cooker on the grate and let it cook.

4. Enjoy!

Remove the sandwich from the pie iron and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this easy camping dinner as much as my kids do. They’ve already requested that this dinner makes it on our camping menu for our next trip!

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Meatball Sub Sandwiches

A pie iron dinner filled with meatballs, cheese and sauce sandwiched between garlic butter toast and cooked over the campfire.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword hobo pie, pie iron, pudgy pie

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 503kcal

Ingredients

• 8 slices Texas Toast
• 2 tbsp garlic butter
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 4 slices Mozzarella cheese
• 16 miniature meatballs (or 8 large meatballs)

Instructions

• Spray the inside of the pie iron with cooking spray.
• Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. (If using pre-prepared garlic bread, skip this step.) Place one piece of bread, butter side down, into one half of the pie iron.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce on top of the bread. Add 3 small meatballs (but large meatballs in half).
• Lay a piece of Mozzarella cheese on top of the meatballs. Top with a second slice of cheese and a slice of bread, butter side up.
• Close the pie iron and cook over a campfire elevated on a grate or in campfire coals.
• Cook long enough for the outside of the bread to toast up and to heat the contents of the sandwich and melt the cheese. This usually takes about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 966mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 612IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 13mg

The post Campfire Meatball Subs in a Pie Iron appeared first on Refresh Camping.

There’s nothing better than eating dessert while sitting around the campfire! S’mores is the classic camping dessert, but there are so many more options for campfire cooking when you add a cast iron pie iron to your camping toolkit.

After using pie irons for the first time many years ago, I quickly bought one for each member of our family so we can add at least one pie iron meal to our camping menu for every trip. They are our definitely our favorite way to cook while we’re camping.

We don’t only make dessert pies in our pie irons, we also use them to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here are my family’s favorite pie iron recipes for every meal!

Looking for more camping desserts cooked in different ways? Here’s a post of my all-time favorites!

Chocolate Raspberries HOBO Pie Ingredients

• Cinnamon Raisin Bread: You can use any type of bread here. I also love using refrigerated pie crust in this recipe as well.
• Hazelnut Spread & Chocolate Chips: You can also eliminate this and use only chocolate chips.
• Raspberries: Use fresh raspberries in this recipe. If you use frozen raspberries, you will have a soggy mess.
• Marshmallows: Marshmallows are optional in this recipe. They add a little more sweetness, but they usually melt all the way down in the high heat, so they don’t add the classic marshmallow texture that you might expect.

This post contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Equipment Tips and Tricks

Cast Iron Pie Iron (Camp Cooker): Pie irons are made of aluminum or cast iron, but I highly recommend using cast iron as they withstand much higher temperatures for longer periods of time.

However, aluminum pie irons do not require seasoning and can be cleaned like all other dishes, so there are benefits to using them as well.

• Round cast iron camp cooker
• Square cast iron camp cooker
• Double cast iron camp cooker – allows you to make twice as many sandwiches with half the work prepping and cleaning!
• Aluminum pie iron camp cooker – although I don’t like the way they cook as much, they are easier to use because they don’t need to be seasoned and can be cleaned like all your other dishes.

Portable Over the Fire Cooking Grate: While cooking in hot coals or embers is ideal for cast iron pie irons, you can also cook over a fire by using a fire grill grate. It’s perfect for a wide variety of campfire pits and can easily be adapted to work at your site.

It’s also great if you just started your fire and want to get cooking right away! Simply place your pie irons on the grate and turn halfway through cooking.

Steps to Make Campfire Raspberry Chocolate Pies

1. Prep the pies

Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. Place one piece of bread with the butter side down into one half of the pie iron.

2. Assemble the pies

Spread the hazelnut spread on the inside of the piece of bread. Add raspberries, marshmallows (optional) and chocolate chips (optional) to one piece of bread. Spread butter and hazelnut spread on each side of the other piece of bread and place on top (butter side up). Close up the pie iron.

3. Cook over campfire

There are two options when cooking with a pie iron: in the coals or over the flame. I find that cooking in the coals is faster, but sometimes can result in over cooking/burning more easily. Cooking on a grate over the fire is usually a few minutes slower, but you have a bit more control over the temperature.

• Hot coals: Place pie iron directly in the hot coals and embers from your fire. If your fire has been going for awhile, simply pull a pile of coals a bit to the side and place the camp cooker on those hot coals.
• Over the flame: Use a grill grate to create a flat cooking surface over the fire. Place the camp cooker on the grate and let it cook.

4. Enjoy!

Let me know if you try out these pudgy pies on your next camping trip!

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Raspberry Nutella Pie Iron Toasties

Cook up a camping dessert in a pie iron – filled with fresh raspberries, hazelnut spread and chocolate.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pie iron

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 465kcal

Ingredients

• 8 slices cinnamon bread
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp Hazelnut spread
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 6 oz fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows (optional)

Instructions

• Spray both side of the inside of the pie iron with cooking spray.
• Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. Place a piece of bread butter side down into half of a pie iron.
• On the other side of the piece of bread, spread hazelnut spread. Add raspberries, chocolate chips and marshmallows (optional)
• Top with another piece of bread, butter side up.
• Close up pie iron and cook over the fire or hot coals for approximately 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 387mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 201IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Raspberry Nutella Campfire Hobo Pies appeared first on Refresh Camping.

Whether you call them hobo pies, pudgy pies, mountain pies, campfire pies or something else entirely, you’re sure to find some amazing inspiration for pie iron recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert for your next camping trip.

This post was originally published in 2024 and updated in June, 2026 with new recipes and photos.

There’s something magical about cooking food over a campfire. As a kid, our camping meals were limited to roasting hot dogs and smores over the fire. Thankfully, since that time I’ve learned that just about anything I would cook in my home kitchen can also be cooked in the great outdoors, over a campfire.

Pie irons are one of my all-time favorite camping cooking tools that help me to create homemade meals for my family while camping. Best of all, they are an extremely fun way to cook for both kids and adults alike!

wHAT IS A pIE iRON?

A pie iron is a cooking tool resembling a sandwich press, consisting of two hinged metal plates made of cast iron or aluminum at the end of long metal rods with wooden handles.

It is used to make toasted sandwiches, pies, and really any recipe you can dream up, over an open fire, charcoals or even a stove.

To cook with a pie iron, simply place bread (or many other alternatives – see all the recipes below) with fillings between the plates, close it, and cook over heat source. The result is a hot, crispy, and sealed pocket, perfect for outdoor campfire cooking!

This post contains affiliate links. Feel free to read my full disclosure policy here.

Pie Iron Breakfast Recipes

Cook your breakfast over the fire or simply light some charcoal and set the pie iron right on top to make these hot breakfast pudgy pies fresh in the morning.

Bacon, Egg & Hash Brown Breakfast Bake

Wrap everything you love about breakfast into one handheld pocket of deliciousness! The bacon crisps up so well in the pie iron in this breakfast bake hobo pie.

See the Egg, Bacon & Hashbrown Breakfast recipe here.

Strawberry French Toast

Elevate your French toast by filling it with an easy strawberry filling and cooking it over the fire. This is one of my kids’ favorite camping breakfast recipes.

See the Strawberry French Toast recipe here.

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuits

This is my personal favorite pie iron breakfast sandwich! Raw biscuits and eggs go into the pie iron and cook up perfectly with melted cheese and sausage.

See the Egg and Sausage Biscuit Hobo Pies recipe here.

Hashbrown Egg in a Nest

Cook up an egg with some crispy hashbrowns in your pie iron with this easy breakfast hobo pie recipe.

See the Hashbrown Egg in a Nest by Get Out Camping.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Waffles

These peanut butter waffle pudgy pies are SO good and SO easy! Hot waffles filled with melted goodness are a favorite of my kids (and husband)!

Check out the Stuffed Waffles Hobo Pie recipe here.

Ham, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

Everything cooks up together between crescent roll dough in this easy and delicious camping breakfast mountain pie recipe.

See the Pie Iron Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich by Noshing in Nature.

Pie Iron Cinnamon Rolls

Cook up regular cinnamon rolls in a pie iron for a sweet treat at breakfast.

Check out all my tips for cooking cinnamon rolls in a pie iron.

More breakfast pie iron recipes

• Texas Toast French Toast – Recipe for how to cook regular french toast in a pie iron.
• Egg & Sausage Breakfast Sandwich – A fried egg and sausage patty cooked up as a hobo pie breakfast.

Lunch and Dinner Pie Iron Recipes

Although I LOVE a hot, delicious breakfast, I find most recipes I choose to use our pie irons for are for lunch, and primarily dinner, recipes. We always have a campfire going at night, so it’s easy to prep these handheld dinners and get them cooking over the fire.

Here’s a collection of twenty of the very BEST pie iron dinner recipes my own family has tried and loved.

Meatball Sub Hobo Pie

My kids LOVE this pie iron dinner, probably because it’s made with Texas Toast garlic bread. Make your own garlic butter spread or use the prepackaged frozen pieces of bread.

See the Pie Iron Meatball Sub recipe here.

Chicken Pot Pies

Refrigerated pie crust is the secret wrapper in this pie iron recipe. It’s amazing how the simple ingredients in this recipe still make it taste so good!

See the recipe for camping Chicken Pot Pie in a Pie Iron.

Campfire Pizza Pockets

Ditch the plain bread and instead use pizza dough to make these campfire pie iron pizza pockets! Add pizza sauce, cheese, and everyone’s favorite toppings for a personal pizza.

Check out my tricks for making campfire pizzas in a pie iron.

Pulled Pork Campfire Cornbread

This cornbread is a complete meal and can be cooked entirely in a cast iron cooker. You can change the spice level by switching out the type of cheese and reducing the number of green chilis.

Here’s the recipe for Campfire Cornbread Hobo Pie.

Chili Cheese Dogs Hobo Pies

A twist on roasting hot dogs is to make them into chili cheese dogs pudgy pies. Add precooked chili and you have a fun, new way to eat a hot dog while camping!

See the Campfire Chili Cheese Dogs recipe here.

Ham and Cheese Camp Cooker Sandwiches

These ham and cheese grilled cheese sandwiches are elevated by using crescent roll dough instead of regular bread, which cooks up perfectly in a pie iron.

Check out my tricks for making campfire pizzas in a pie iron.

Pie Iron Taco Melts

There are plenty of different ways to make tacos while camping, but this one is the most fun! Toasting up your own taco pocket over the campfire makes it that much more delicious.

Here’s the recipe for campfire tacos in pie iron.

more pie iron lunch & dinner recipes

• Camp Cooker Fajitas – Blend of steak, onions and peppers packed in a handy little pocket.
• Philly Cheesesteak Pie Iron Sandwich – Another blend of steak, onions and peppers but this time with cheese for a camping Philly cheesesteak.
• Campfire Reuben Sandwich – Corned beef, sauerkraut, cheese and dressing make these melted sandwiches delicious.
• Make Hamburgers in a Pie Iron – Add onions and hamburger patties and cook them up in a pie iron for excellent flavor.
• Baked Bean and Cheese Toasted Sandwiches – Excellent vegetarian pie iron recipe that is still hot and delicious cooked over the fire.
• Pie Iron Cheesy Tator Tots – This would work well as a side dish, or even a main course for someone who LOVES their tator tots.
• Campfire Quesadillas – Kids will love these pudgy pies filled with gooey cheese!
• Pie Iron Sloppy Joes – These sloppy joes will get golden brown while cooking in a pie iron.
• Chili Cheese Dog Pudgy Pies – Think hot dogs, chili and cheese all melted into a crispy pocket.
• Pie Iron Caprese Sandwiches – A great vegetarian hobo pie recipe.

Pie Iron Dessert Recipes

Besides dinner, hobo pie dessert recipes are my second favorite way to use a pie iron while camping. Plus, I personally do not enjoy s’mores, so I’m always looking for other ways to cook dessert over the campfire. These pudgy pie desserts will be FAR better than any s’more you can make!

Cinnamon Roll Apple Pies

Elevate your campfire cinnamon rolls by stuffing them with a homemade apple pie filling! My kids request these for breakfast, but I consider them to be more of a dessert. No matter when you eat them, they are SO good!

Find the Camping Cinnamon Roll Apple Pies recipe here.

Turtle Cheesecake Pudgy Pies

The perfect blend of melted caramel, chocolate, pecans and tangy cream cheese cook up in pre-made pie crusts right over the fire.

See the Turtle Cheesecake Camping Pies recipe here.

Strawberry Cheesecake Campfire Pies

This dessert recipe is so easy but so tasty! You only need a few ingredients to toast up these sweet treats over the campfire.

See the Strawberry Cheesecake Campfire Pie recipe.

Cherry Chocolate Hobo Pies

The blend of tart cherries with rich chocolate is only made better when served up warm and inside toasty bread!

See the Cherry Chocolate Pudgy Pies recipe.

Camp Cooker Cookies

Hot, fresh pie iron cookies made while camping? Yes, please! This is an easy way to make cookies over the campfire in your pie iron.

Here’s the Campfire Cookies recipe by Handmade Heather.

Raspberry Nutella Pudgy Pies

Fresh raspberries combined with hazelnut spread and a few other melt ins make this campfire toasty easy and delicious.

See the easy Chocolate Raspberry Pudgy Pies recipe here.

Pie Iron Cherry Pies

I don’t think cherry pies can be any better than toasted up over the campfire! It’s an easy recipe that will make you feel fancy while camping.

Cherry Mountain Pie Recipe by Seeking the RV Life.

Pecan Pie Hobo Pies

Pre-make this delicious pecan pie filling before your trip. Assembling these pudgy pies at your campsite couldn’t be any easier!

See the Pecan Pies in a Pie Iron by Toast It Recipes.

more pie iron dessert recipes

• Campfire Apple Pies – These apple pies are made with cinnamon raisin bread for an easy version of apple pie dessert while camping.
• Lemon Meringue Pie – Bet you didn’t think you’d be eating lemon meringue pie while camping. This simplified version is cooked up in a pie iron over the fire.

Tips for Using a Pie Iron

Below you will find a few notes and tricks on using pie irons. You can find a full post with everything you need to know about how to use a pie iron here.

• Cast iron is my personal favorite – Camp cookers are sold in cast iron and aluminum, but I personally prefer cast iron pie irons. It cooks food more evenly, crisps it up beautifully, and burns far less often than aluminum pie irons. (Budget friendly tip: If you live by a Menards, they sell cast iron pie irons for less than $10. These are the ones we use and have had great results for several years!)
  • Aluminum pie irons do have benefits – Aluminum pie irons do not require the seasoning step and can be cleaned like normal dishes. So if the idea of cast iron is new or daunting to you, aluminum pie irons are a great option! They still crisp up food well and all of my recipes will work in an aluminum pie iron too.
• Season your pie iron before first use – I’ve tried a couple of different methods, and this process on how to season cast iron is definitely the best. It does take some time to build up the seasoning layer, but it is well worth it to give you good results while cooking.
• Use cooking spray – Food will stick to cast iron (or aluminum) if cooking spray, oil or butter is not used. Liberally spray the inside of the pie iron with cooking spray to prevent sticking, especially when you are first cooking in your pie iron and developing your seasoning layer.
• Learn how to clean it – Cast iron needs to be cleaned differently than normal dishes, but once you learn the process and build up your seasoning layer, you’ll find it’s actually easier to clean than other dishes!
• Be careful – pie irons get HOT – Because these are placed directly in or over the fire, they get hot and stay hot for quite a long time. Wear oven proof gloves or an oven mitt when handling the pie irons.
• A double pie iron cooks twice as much – Double pie irons require less cleaning because you can cook two sandwiches in one cast iron camper cooker.

I hope these pie iron recipes gave you a ton of meal ideas for your next trip!

The post 35 of the Best Pie Iron Recipes for Campfire Cooking appeared first on Refresh Camping.

Cooking healthy, homemade meals while camping can sometimes be challenging because of the limited space for packing and the hassle of prep and cleaning without a full kitchen.

Enter one pot camping meals – the perfect way to put a homecooked meal (or dessert) on the picnic table without much time or effort and far fewer dishes!

Most of these recipes can be cooked on a propane stove, which, in my opinion, is the easiest way to cook while you’re camping, especially if you are car camping or low on space.

Many of the recipes require only a 2.5 quart pot (or larger) with a lid, but a few do work best in a dutch oven or cast iron pan. Either way, none of these recipes require a separate bowl or pan!

Make Ahead One Pot Meal Tips

None of these one-pot camping meals are full make-ahead meals, but I suggest prepping parts of these meals ahead of time to make them that much easier to cook when at your site. Here are a few of my make ahead prep tips:

• Pre-cook meats and freeze them. They’ll act as ice in your cooler as they defrost and save the hassle of packing and cooking raw meat while camping.
• Pre-chop vegetables. Dicing the exact amounts of vegetables needed for your one pot meals saves you time and clean up of extra prep items. I use pre-portioned bento containers to separate different veggies for a meal, but any container will work.
• Pack only the spices you need in little containers. A bead storage container is my favorite for storing spices (even better than a pill container)! I look at all the meals I’ve planned for my trip and fill it with the spices I’ll need.

One Pot Camping Dinners

These camping one-pot meals are perfect for an easy dinner that the whole family will eat (and enjoy).

Marry Me Chicken with Orzo

This is my all-time favorite one pot camping dinner. It’s made with chicken breasts, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and orzo in a homemade cream sauce. Although it feels too fancy for camping, it’s SO easy and SO good!

See the one pot Marry Me Chicken dinner recipe here.

Beef Stroganoff

An easy twist on a classic homemade meal that tastes like it took more time to make than it did! I use ground beef for ease and cost, but you can also use beef steak instead.

See the one pot beef stroganoff recipe here.

Chicken Pot Pie Gnocchi

This recipe feels like home in bowl! This one pot chicken pot pie eats like a stew and uses gnocchi instead of bread or biscuits. The homemade cream sauce is so good!

See the one pot chicken pot pie gnocchi recipe here.

Turkey Pasta Bake

Pasta with a protein and fresh vegetables that cooks up entirely in one pot! I used ground turkey in this recipe, but ground beef or even cooked chicken breast would also be delicious.

See the one pot ground turkey pasta recipe here.

Zucchini Pesto Tortellini

This camp stove meal takes help from refrigerated tortellini and pre-cooked chicken sausage. It’s a complete meal with the fresh flavors of summer.

See the one pot zucchini pesto tortellini recipe here.

Dutch Oven Lasagna

Yes, you can make a full, homemade lasagna while camping! You’ll prep the filling layers at home and when it’s time to cook, simply layer then into a dutch oven and place over hot coals.

See the dutch oven lasagna recipe here.

Cheeseburger Macaroni

This camping mac and cheese doesn’t even require you to drain the pasta liquid! Everything cooks up in a dutch oven.

See the one pot dutch oven mac and cheese with ground beef recipe here.

Campfire Nachos

Although I usually make these campfire nachos in a cast-iron skillet, you can also make dutch oven nachos. Vary up the base ingredients and toppings to create the perfect camping meal.

See the campfire nachos in a skillet recipe here.

Chili Mac

This recipe blends the best of both worlds: smokey, spicy chili with creamy mac and cheese. It’s the perfect one pot dinner for a chilly night!

See the one pot Chili Mac recipe from Fresh Off the Grid here.

Camper’s Hamburger Helper

Ditch the premade box meals and make a homemade version of “Hamburger Helper” on your next camping trip.

See the one pot Hamburger Helper recipe from Amanda Outside here.

Thai Chicken and Rice

Cook up a tasty Thai dinner with peanut butter sauce on your next trip. Using pre-cooked rice packets makes this an easy camping dinner.

See the one pot Thai chicken and rice recipe from 5 Boys Baker here.

One Pot Camping Breakfasts

Although I do consider breakfast to be the most important meal of the day, I listed it after the one pot dinners, because I find that I’m much more likely to make a one pot camping meal for dinner as opposed to breakfast.

However, there are plenty of great reasons to whip up a full breakfast in one skillet or pot. You can feed all the hungry mouths at once!

Camping Frittata

Feed your entire camping crew a delicious egg and veggie breakfast cooked in only one pan.

See the cast iron skillet frittata recipe here.

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

Hands down – this is my kids FAVORITE camping breakfast, probably because it feels like dessert. Filled with fresh blueberries and cream cheese – this is not your average french toast casserole.

See the blueberry french toast casserole recipe here.

Spanish Eggs

Bring out the flavors of Spain with this classic dish that can be made in one pan right on a propane stove. Serve with tortilla chips for added crunch.

See the Spanish eggs with chorizo recipe here.

Hungry Man Breakfast Skillet

Everything you need to feed your entire camping crew is packed in this camping breakfast with potatoes, peppers and eggs.

See the mountain man breakfast from Camping for Foodies here.

Campfire Skillet Breakfast

A hearty breakfast filled with ham, potatoes, peppers and eggs that cooks up right over the campfire.

See the campfire skillet breakfast recipe from Real Life with Dad here.

Huevos Enfrijolados

This one pan skillet dish is a delicious way to make breakfast for four on a propane stove or over the campfire.

See the eggs in spicy beans recipe from Well Seasoned Studio here.

One PoT Camping Desserts

The only one pot camping desserts I make are in a dutch oven over pieces of charcoal rather than on a propane camp stove. The cast iron of a dutch oven retains and evenly distributes heat which creates the effect of an oven – perfect for baked desserts!

Many of these recipes are dump cakes which require no mixing. Just dump the ingredients in your dutch oven without even dirtying a bowl!

These dutch oven desserts are perfect for family camping and scout camping trips because one cake feeds at least eight people! I have a post full of my other favorite ways to cook camping desserts, including on a stick, in a pie iron, and in aluminum foil.

Baked Apples in a Dutch Oven

Although this dessert has the flavors of Fall, we still make it year round as a healthy, homemade one pot dessert.

See how to make stuffed apples in a dutch oven here.

Blueberry Peach Dump Cake

Use a bag of frozen blueberries and peaches to make this dump cake easy to pack and make.

See the blueberry peach dump cake recipe here.

Peanut Butter Brownie Dump Cake

The secret to this dump cake is the layer of peanut butter cookies at the bottom.

See the peanut butter brownie dump cake recipe here.

Cherry Chocolate Dump Cake

This camping cake has the perfect blend of rich chocolate and tart cherries and takes less only a minute to assemble.

See the cherry chocolate dump cake recipe here.

Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake

Strawberries, cream cheese and boxed cake mix make this an easy summer camping dessert.

See the strawberry cheesecake dump cake recipe here.

Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I’m always impressed with myself when I flip over this beauty while camping! It’s as easy as layering in the bottom ingredients and then dumping in the other ingredients on top.

See the camping pineapple upside down cake recipe here.

Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls

Yes, you can have fresh baked cinnamon rolls while camping!

See how to use a dutch oven to cook prepared cinnamon rolls here.

Or, make homemade cinnamon rolls for camping with this recipe from Fresh Off the Grid.

I hope you found a recipe or two that you can bring on your next camping trip. Happy camping!

The post 25 of the Best One Pot Camping Meals to Make on Your Next Trip appeared first on Refresh Camping.

Because this meal can be cooked in one pan over a propane stove, you’ll spend very little time washing dishes, making it the perfect way to start the day while camping.

I experimented with making a new dish on my last camping trip – one of my favorite meals from the time I lived in Spain – and it was a keeper. To decide if meals make it on my future camping menus, they must meet the following criteria:

• Quick to make (ideally less than 30 minutes, start to finish, for breakfast)
• Minimal ingredients that are easy to pack and transport
• Can be made using the supplies in my camp kitchen
• Minimal prep (which means more dirty dishes)
• Delicious or at least something that everyone (husband and four kids) will eat

I studied abroad in Granada, which is in the southern, Andalusian region of Spain. In that area, this dish is called Huevos a la Flamenca, but I’ve also heard them called Huevos a la Espanola or simply Spanish Baked Eggs.

In southern Spain, this dish is not typically eaten for breakfast, and instead it commonly found as a tapas dish for lunch or dinner. However, I LOVE eggs for breakfast, so this meal is now part of our camping breakfast rotation (and one I also make at home)!

Ingredient Notes

• Chorizo: The recipe calls for 8 oz. of chorizo, which makes for a pretty meaty sauce. I prefer to use a little less (around 5-6 oz.) and let the
• Diced Vegetables: I dice the onions, peppers and garlic before my trip to make this recipe even easier while camping. Green peppers keep this dish mild for my kids, but feel free to substitute with spicier peppers for more heat.
• Diced Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes make for easy packing. I prefer to used crushed tomatoes so my kids can’t pick out any chunks of tomato. If you can, use the fire roasted variety for added flavor.
• Eggs
• Tortilla Chips: Tortilla chips make for the perfect scooper – you may not even need a fork!
• Queso Fresco: I like to top with queso fresco but using shredded Manchego cheese will give you authentic (and delicious) Spanish flavors.

I pulled together the best one pot camping meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert in one place. This Marry Me Chicken One Pot Meal is my personal favorite propane stove camping dinner.

Step by Step Directions

1. Sauté vegetables

Over medium heat, heat olive oil in a large pan on the propane stove. Add diced green peppers, onions and garlic and sauté until tender.

2. Cook the Chorizo

Add 6-8 ounces of chorizo to the pan and sauté until cooked through. Drain off excess fat and discard.

3. Simmer tomato sauce

Add the can of crushed tomatoes and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

4. Add eggs

Make 4 indentations in the tomato sauce and crack one egg into each indentation. Top each egg with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to low and place a lid over the pan. Cook the eggs for 3-7 minutes, depending on your liking.

4. Serve

Scoop a large portion of the tomato sauce with an egg out of the pan. Top with cheese and serve with tortilla chips.

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Spanish Eggs

A classic baked eggs dish that can be made in one pan over a propane stove while you're camping.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword breakfast, eggs, one pot

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 206kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 medium bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 8 oz. Chorizo sausage
• 1 can (15 oz) crushed or diced tomatoes fire roasted
• 4 eggs
• tortilla chips and queso fresco for serving

Instructions

• Over medium heat, heat olive oil in a large pan on the propane stove. Add diced green peppers, onions and garlic and sauté until tender, approximately 4 minutes.
• Add chorizo to the pan and sauté until cooked through. Drain off excess fat and discard.
• Add the can of crushed tomatoes and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Make 4 indentations in the tomato sauce and crack one egg into each indentation. Top each egg with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to low and place a lid over the pan. Cook the eggs for 3-7 minutes, depending on how soft or hard cooked you like your eggs.
• Scoop out one egg with the sauce and serve with queso fresco and tortilla chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1456IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Spanish Eggs One Pan Camping Breakfast appeared first on Refresh Camping.

This Dutch oven French toast has quickly become one of my kids’ most requested camping breakfasts, probably because it’s almost like having dessert first thing in the morning.

This recipe can also be made in a casserole dish in the oven as well, so even if you’re not going camping anytime soon, you can still enjoy this delicious breakfast.

To make this recipe even easier while you’re camping, you can prepare everything at home and store the layers in two separate ziplock bags or containers. Then, all you need to do is layer the ingredients into your Dutch oven and set it on the coals to cook.

Methods to Cook French Toast CasserolE

How to cook French toast casserole in a Dutch oven

A Dutch oven is the best way to cook this casserole while camping, because it retains the heat and acts like an oven by adding pieces of charcoal to the top and bottom.

We often don’t have a campfire going in the morning, so using charcoal to bake it makes for a fairly easy cooking method. You can also place the Dutch oven on a grate over a campfire and add campfire coals to the top, but it can be hard to achieve as even of cooking as you’ll get with charcoal.

How to cook French toast casserole in the oven

If you’re making this recipe at home, simply layer the ingredients in a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes.

Ingredient Notes

• Sourdough: I recommend using sourdough in this recipe, but you can experiment with other types of bread. Just try to buy unsliced (or thick sliced) bread so you are able to cut the bread into one inch cubes.
• Half and Half: Half and half brings richness to the dish, but you can substitute for lower fat milk if you prefer.
• Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries both work in the recipe. Fresh blueberries will break down more while frozen blueberries will retain their shape a little better.
• Cream Cheese: Whipped cream cheese is much easier to stir and mix in the powdered sugar, but you can also use a brick of cream cheese and soften with a hand mixer.

Looking for other camping breakfast ideas? Try out this campfire frittata or these make ahead egg muffin sandwiches.

How to make Dutch Oven French Toast

1. Prepare Dutch Oven

Line your dutch oven with parchment paper (or dutch oven parchment paper liners). The parchment paper makes clean up a breeze, but you can also use cooking spray or butter to coat the inside of the dutch oven.

Alternatively, if you’re making this in the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray the casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. Make the French Toast

Cut bread into one inch cubes and set aside.

Beat eggs until combined and then whisk in the half and half, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Gently fold in bread cubes. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and upwards of 24 hours, or place in a ziplock back and refrigerate until ready to assemble casserole.

3. Make the Blueberry Cream Cheese

In a separate bowl, mix half and half and vanilla into whipped cream cheese. Mix powdered sugar into the cream cheese until combined. Gently fold in blueberries and set aside or place in a ziplock bag and refrigerate until ready to assemble the casserole.

4. Assemble the Casserole

Layer half of the bread cubes mixture into the bottom of the Dutch oven or casserole dish.

Spread all of blueberry cream cheese in an even layer over the top of the bread cubes.

Cover the cream cheese with the remaining bread cubes mixture.

5. Cook in a Dutch Oven

Place the dutch oven on top of 10 pieces of charcoal (evenly spaced apart or in a ring) with 20 pieces of charcoal on top of the dutch oven lid (again, evenly spaced apart or in a ring around the outside).

Charcoal numbers are based on a 12″ dutch oven. If you have a smaller dutch oven, lower the number of coals, but keep the 2:1 ratio of coals on top to coals on bottom the same.

Cook for approximately 30-45 minutes. Cooking times are approximate and will depend on air temperature and well as wind conditions.

5. Cook in the Oven

Place casserole in the preheated oven and cook for 45-55 minutes.

6. Enjoy!

Feel free to top with maple syrup, but in my opinion, you don’t even need it!

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Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

Course Breakfast

Keyword dutch oven, french toast

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 396kcal

Ingredients

French Toast

• 1 loaf sourdough, French or brioche bread (12-14 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups half and half
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Blueberry Cream Cheese

• 8 oz whipped cream cheese
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen

Instructions

• Line your dutch oven with parchment paper or spray the inside with cooking spray.

  If baking in the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray the casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Cut bread into one inch cubes and set aside.
• Beat eggs until combined. Whisk in the half and half, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Gently fold in bread cubes. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and upwards of 24 hours, or place in a ziplock back and refrigerate until ready to assemble casserole at your campsite.
• In a separate bowl, mix half and half and vanilla into whipped cream cheese. Mix powdered sugar into the cream cheese until combined. Gently fold in blueberries and place in a ziplock bag and refrigerate until ready to assemble the casserole.
• Layer half of the bread cubes mixture into the bottom of the Dutch oven or casserole dish. Spread all of blueberry cream cheese in an even layer over the top of the bread cubes. Cover the cream cheese with the remaining bread cubes mixture.
• Place the dutch oven on top of 10 pieces of charcoal (evenly spaced apart or in a ring) with 20 pieces of charcoal on top of the dutch oven lid (again, evenly spaced apart or in a ring around the outside).
• Cook in the dutch oven for approximately 30-45 minutes. Cooking times are approximate and will depend on air temperature and well as wind conditions.

  Or, place casserole in the preheated oven and cook for 45-55 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 241mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 929IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Dutch Oven French Toast with Blueberries and Cream Cheese appeared first on Refresh Camping.

You can feed your entire camping crew a healthy dessert with stuffed baked apples made over campfire coals in a Dutch oven.

How to Cook Baked Apples on Campfire

Although this recipe describes how to make baked apples in a Dutch oven, you can also cook them individually in campfire embers. You can find the exact steps on cooking individual baked apples in this post.

Cook it in a Dutch Oven

The fastest and easiest way to cook campfire apples is to cook them all at once in a cast iron Dutch oven. Cover the bottom of the Dutch oven with a half an inch of water and set the apples in the bottom with the open side (stuffed end) facing up.

Place Dutch oven over hot pieces of charcoal (about 8-10 pieces) and then add double that number of coals on top of the lid (about 16-20 pieces).

There are more details provided on these steps in the recipe below.

Ingredients in Campfire Apples

• Apples: Granny Smith, Jonathan, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are some of the best apple varieties for campfire baked apples. They have a crisp, firm texture which helps them to hold their shape and not turn into mush over the campfire. (Granny Smith and Jonathan are more tart apples while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are sweeter.) If you use soft apples, they’ll quickly turn to mushy applesauce when heated up.
• Butter: The recipe calls for salted butter so there’s no need to add any additional salt. Feel free to substitute unsalted butter and a pinch of salt instead.
• Oats: Use old fashioned oats as opposed to quick cooking oats. If you use the latter, the inside will get mushy and lose its texture.
• Pecans: Pecans are my absolute favorite in this recipe, but almonds or walnuts can be used as well.
• Brown Sugar: In a pinch, you can substitute white sugar, but you’ll lose the slight bit of extra flavor from the molasses that’s in brown sugar.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon is amazing in this recipe, but you can also add 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg for more flavor.

Looking for other sweet camping dessert ideas? I’ve pulled together my family’s favorite camping desserts that can be cooked in aluminum foil, in a pie iron, in a Dutch oven, and even on a stick!

How to make Baked APples Over the Campfire

1. Combine oat mixture

In a small bowl, use a fork to mash together the butter and brown sugar. Add the rolled oats, pecans and cinnamon and stir to combine.

(Complete this step at home before your trip for even easier prep when you’re camping! Just store the filling in the cooler under you’re ready to stuff the apples.)

2. Core the apples

Use a knife to cut around the top part of the apple core, angling your knife slightly in towards the center. This will allow you to pop the top area of the core out.

Then, use a spoon to hollow out the rest of the core, being careful not to puncture the bottom of the apple.

3. Stuff apples and place in Dutch Oven

Fill dutch oven with a half an inch of water.

Use a spoon to pack the filling into the cored apples. Place the cored apples in the dutch oven.

4. Cook over charcoal

Place the covered Dutch oven over 10 pieces of hot charcoal. Add about 20 pieces of charcoal on top and cook for about 30 minutes. (This number of coals is for a 12″ Dutch oven. If yours is smaller, lower the number of coals but keep a 1:2 ratio of coals underneath to coal on the top. For example, 8 coals under the Dutch oven to 16 coals on top.)

The apples are ready when they are still in tact, but tender enough to slice with a fork. You know you’ve cooked them for too long if the apples turn to mush. However, even if this happens, it will still taste delicious, but it will be more of a applesauce crisp instead.

5. Enjoy!

As you can imagine, a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of these campfire baked apples is absolutely heavenly. However, if you’re like us and never bring ice cream with you while camping, a dollop of whipped cream is still very tasty!

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Campfire Apples in a Dutch Oven

Stuffed with a sweet and crunchy filling, these stuffed apples can be baked all at once in a Dutch Oven with pieces of charcoal or campfire coals.

Course Dessert

Keyword dessert

Servings 6

Calories 260kcal

Ingredients

• 6 small granny smith apples or other firm apple
• 1/4 cup butter salted
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• Using a charcoal chimney, prepare about 30 pieces of charcoal until the charcoal is white on the edges and hot.
• Mash together the butter with the brown sugar. Add oats, pecans and cinnamon and stir to combine. (You can easily make this filling before your trip for super easy prep at your site!)
• Remove the inner core of each apple with a knife and/or spoon. Be sure to remove all the seeds and core, but do not puncture the bottom of the apple (we don't want that butter to melt out of the bottom!)
• Add about a half an inch of water to the bottom of a cast iron Dutch oven. Stuff the apples with the filling. Place each apple, filling side up, in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid.
• Place Dutch oven on top of 10 pieces of hot charcoal. Add about 20 pieces of charcoal to the top of the Dutch oven lid. Cook for approximately 30 minutes (cook times will vary) until the apples are tender but not falling apart or mushy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1apple | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

These apples are the perfect camping dessert, especially if you are looking for something other than s’mores.

Let me know in the ratings if you try these out or if you have other variations in the filling.

The post Campfire Apples in a Dutch Oven appeared first on Refresh Camping.

One pot meals are the perfect dinner for family camping trips. They cook in less than 30 minutes and will feed your entire camping crew with only one pot to clean!

This one pot dinner combines all the fresh flavors of summer like pesto and zucchini, but flavors can be adjusted based on the chicken sausage and tortellini variations you choose.

Looking for more one pot camping meals? I pulled together over 25 of my favorite recipes!

How to Cook One Pot Tortellini Dinner

A propane stove works perfectly to cook up a one pot meal, you just want to be sure you have a large enough pot or pan to hold all of the ingredients. This recipe needs a 2.5 quart pot or larger. (I used a 2.5 quart pot and it had just enough space in it to make this one pot camping dinner.)

I also prefer to use a heavy bottomed pot to avoid scorching. A cast iron pan would also work on a propane stove (or over the campfire) because it retains and distributes the heat.

You can also use a cast iron dutch oven to cook this recipe over campfire coals. Follow the same directions, but it will take a little longer to sauté the vegetables and get the liquid up to a boil.

Pre-Camping Prep Ideas

You can dice the onions and zucchinis and mince the garlic (just cover it in a little olive oil) before your trip. Store it in the fridge and cooler until you’re ready to make dinner.

Ingredient Notes

• Tortellini: This recipe uses refrigerated tortellini because it cooks so quickly, which is important so the zucchini doesn’t overcook and turn to mush in the liquid. If you can’t find refrigerated tortellini, use frozen, which only takes about two more minutes to cook. I do not recommend using dried tortellini in this recipe.
• Chicken Sausage: Caprese flavored chicken sausages work well in this dish, but you can definitely use a different flavor. Since my kids don’t like the caprese ones, I use garlic and gouda flavor.
• Diced Vegetables: Dice the zucchini and onions and cut the tomatoes in half before your trip to save time while you’re camping.
• Chicken Broth: Chicken broth gives the dish a little extra flavor, but in a pinch you can use water.
• Pesto: Make your own homemade pesto or pack a premade jar.
• Mozzarella Pearls: If you don’t have pearls, you can always use shredded mozzarella instead.

Although my kids like this recipe, they LOVE One Pot Beef Stroganoff while we’re camping.

Step by Step Directions

1. Sauté vegetables

Heat olive oil in a 2.5 quart pot (or larger). Add zucchini, onion, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes until the zucchini has browned a bit. (Stir only once or twice to allow the zucchini to brown.) Add garlic and diced chicken sausage and cook for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

2. Cook the tortellini

Add chicken broth to the pot and bring it to a boil. Add tortellini, stir to combine and cover as much as the tortellini with broth as possible. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the pasta is tender. Remove from heat.

3. Add in finishing touches

Stir in pesto and lemon juice. Add cherry tomato halves and Mozzarella pearls and gently fold into the dish. Top with parmesan cheese to serve.

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Zucchini Pesto Tortellini One Pot Dinner

A camping one pot meal that's filled with the fresh flavors of summer like pesto and zucchini. It cooks up in one pot with no need to drain liquids or transfer ingredients.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword dinner, one pot

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 390kcal

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 small zucchini (or one medium/large) diced
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 3 chicken sausages
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 8 oz. refrigerated tortellini
• 1/3 cup pesto
• 1/2 lemon juice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1 cup Mozzarella pearls (about 5 oz.)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

• In a 2.5 quart sauce pot (or larger), heat olive oil and add zucchini, onion, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook until the zucchini browns a bit, about 10 minutes. Try to avoid stirring the mixture more than once or twice, so the zucchini is able to brown.
• Add garlic and diced chicken sausage and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add tortellini, stir to cover as much of the tortellini with the liquid as possible. Lower the heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook for about 4 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
• Remove from heat and stir in the pesto and juice from half of a lemon. Add the tomatoes and Mozzarella pearls and gently stir to combine.
• Serve by topping with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1226mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 850IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 236mg | Iron: 2mg

The post One Pot Pesto Zucchini Tortellini appeared first on Refresh Camping.

I love planning different camping desserts for our trips. Of course, it’s always most fun to cook dessert over the campfire, which is why we love pie irons in my family. Each person makes their own little pie and everyone is a happy camper.

Turtle cheesecake hobo pies have only five ingredients, so they are easy to plan, pack and make. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. These handheld desserts are so good!

Cast iron pie irons are an easy way to make desserts while camping because they act like mini ovens to cook everything through quickly. I’ve heard pie iron recipes called pudgy pies, hobo pies, mountain pies, or toasties. Regardless of what you call this type of campfire dessert – they’re good!

We don’t only make dessert pies in our pie irons, we also use them to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here are our favorite pie iron recipes for every meal!

Looking for more camping desserts cooked in different ways? Here’s a post of my all-time favorites!

Turtle Cheesecake HOBO Pie Ingredients

• Pie Crust: I love using refrigerated pie crust in this recipe, but you can also use slices of bread.
• Caramel: Dice caramels into 1/2 inch pieces so they melt inside the hobo pie.
• Chocolate Chips: I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can really use any kind of chocolate here.
• Cinnamon Pecans: I make a batch of cinnamon sugar pecans before my trip, but you can buy pre-made cinnamon pecans or just use regular pecans.

This post contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Equipment Tips and Tricks

Cast Iron Pie Iron (Camp Cooker): Pie irons are made of aluminum or cast iron, but I highly recommend using cast iron as they withstand much higher temperatures for longer periods of time.

However, aluminum pie irons do not require seasoning and can be cleaned like all other dishes, so there are benefits to using them as well.

• Round cast iron camp cooker
• Square cast iron camp cooker
• Double cast iron camp cooker – allows you to make twice as many sandwiches with half the work prepping and cleaning!
• Aluminum pie iron camp cooker – although I don’t like the way they cook as much, they are easier to use because they don’t need to be seasoned and can be cleaned like all your other dishes.

Portable Over the Fire Cooking Grate: While cooking in hot coals or embers is ideal for cast iron pie irons, you can also cook over a fire by using a fire grill grate. It’s perfect for a wide variety of campfire pits and can easily be adapted to work at your site.

It’s also great if you just started your fire and want to get cooking right away! Simply place your pie irons on the grate and turn halfway through cooking.

Steps to Make Campfire Turtle Cheesecake Pies

1. Prep the pies

Unroll a refrigerated pie crust and cut into pieces to fit into the pie iron. You make need to push some pieces together to form squares if using circular pie crust. Spread butter on one side of each piece of pie dough. Place one piece of pie dough with the butter side down into one half of the pie iron.

2. Assemble the pies

Place some pieces of caramel on the pie crust. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Dollop small dots of cream cheese across the top (or spread an even layer on the inside of the piece of pie dough). Cover with the second piece of pie dough, butter side up, and then close up the pie iron.

3. Cook over campfire

There are two options when cooking with a pie iron: in the coals or over the flame. I find that cooking in the coals is faster, but sometimes can result in over cooking/burning more easily. Cooking on a grate over the fire is usually a few minutes slower, but you have a bit more control over the temperature.

• Hot coals: Place pie iron directly in the hot coals and embers from your fire. If your fire has been going for awhile, simply pull a pile of coals a bit to the side and place the camp cooker on those hot coals.
• Over the flame: Use a grill grate to create a flat cooking surface over the fire. Place the camp cooker on the grate and let it cook.

4. Enjoy!

Let me know if you try out these turtle cheesecake pudgy pies on your next camping trip!

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Turtle Cheesecake Hobo Pies

An easy pie iron dessert filled with caramel, chocolate, cinnamon pecans and cream cheese that's cooked over the campfire.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pie iron

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Calories 565kcal

Ingredients

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 4 tbsp whipped cream cheese
• 2 tbsp butter (optional)
• 12 pieces caramel halved or quartered
• 1/2 cup sugar coated cinnamon pecans

Instructions

• Spray both side of the inside of the pie iron with cooking spray.
• Unroll the pie crusts and cut each one into four pieces. (You may have some excess dough which you could use to form together to make a 5th pie.)
• Spread butter on one side of the pie crust dough (optional) and place the pie crust butter side down into the pie iron.
• Spread the cream cheese on the inside of the first piece of pie crust dough. Add chocolate chips, pieces of caramel and cinnamon pecans.
• Top with another piece of pie crust. Spread butter on top (optional).
• Close up pie iron and cook over the fire or hot coals for approximately 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 565kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 402mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Turtle Cheesecake Campfire Pudgy Pies appeared first on Refresh Camping.